WINTER 2012 the real australian BBQ CHURCH! PAGE 6 SOUL IN THE BUSH PAGE 12 GARAGE HYMNAL IN CONCERT PAGE 18 print post approved pp242296/00141 BCA Directory Contents Editorial The Real Australian is a registered 3 Editorial trademark of the Bush Church Aid Society. Revd Dr Mark Short, National Director First published 1920–Edition No. 356 Circulation 32,000 4 Partnership in Proclamation All enquiries to Helena Painting The Editor, The Bush Church Aid Society of Australia, Level 7, 37 York Street, Sydney NSW 2000. 6 Serving up the gospel in Wickham email [email protected] Rich Goscombe on BBQ Church website www.bushchurchaid.com.au Patrons Most Revd Dr Peter Jensen 8 Holbrook Harvest Festival Most Revd Dr Phillip Aspinall James Coats President Rt Revd Dr Peter Brain Vice President Revd Canon John Butler 9 Tracks of Grace As Christians we are commissioned to share good news, Vice President Emeritus Revd Tom Morgan not merely offer good advice. “He has risen” was the Chairman Mr Fred Chilton 10 Ministry in South Tamworth Hon. Treasurer Mr Richard Host Geoff Chambers announcement of the angel the first Easter and ever since then God’s people have been National Director telling friends and neighbours that Jesus is their good and powerful King who has Revd Dr Mark Short 12 Soul in The Bush National Office Revd Dr Mark Short overcome sin and death. Level 7, 37 York Street, Sydney, NSW 2000 14 Our Place Ministries Of course it is possible to share news in a way that contradicts what we are saying. We Phone (02) 9262 5017–Fax: (02) 9262 5020 Tracy Wolsley are not to use trickery or flattery to proclaim the One who is truth, nor are we to bully email [email protected] people in the name of the One who came as a servant. That is why BCA is committed to Administration Manager Mrs Robyn Williams 16 Boogie for the Bush email [email protected] A new way to raise money for BCA Christ-centred proclamation that is both humble and confident. Media and Communications Officer Thank you for partnering with us as we seek to proclaim Christ across Australia. I hope Mrs Alison Pearce 17 April Bottom Scholarship NSW/ACT Office Revd Chris Baxter you will be encouraged by the stories which follow, to share the good news in your world. Entries open Level 7, 37 York Street, Sydney, NSW 2000 As I write this editorial it is just on six months since I began as National Director. Phone (02) 9262 5017–Fax: (02) 9262 5020 18 Prayer at the Heart of Things email [email protected] In that time I have been delighted to meet many faithful pray-ers, givers and Victoria BCA Centre Mary Lewis supporters and to see firsthand the diversity of ministries carried out under the BCA PO Box 281, Heidelberg, VIC 3084 banner. Phone (03) 9457 7556–Fax: (03) 9457 7610 20 Happenings in Hillston email [email protected] Lindsay Whybrow But the greatest thrill has been meeting people whose lives have been changed SA/NT BCA Centre Mrs Vivien Bleby through the simple sharing of a powerful message. 22 Tassie East Coast Tour 30 Croydon Road Keswick SA 5035 Christ is Risen! Phone (08) 8351 5950 email [email protected] 23 Leaving the East, Going to the West Mark Short Interview with NWA Bishop, the Rt Revd QLD/Nthn NSW Office Revd Ian McGrath National Director PO Box 6565, Upper Mt Gravatt, QLD 4122 Gary Nelson Phone (07) 3349 9081–Fax: (07) 3849 7927 email [email protected] 24 Post and Rails Tasmania Office Revd Dennis Quinn 63 Belar St Howrah TAS 7018 26 From the Archives Phone (03) 6244 5098 email [email protected] WA BCA Centre Revd Michael Stuart c/-GPO Box W2067, Perth WA 6846 Phone 1300 554 025 Cover: Rich Goscombe (middle) at BBQ Church email [email protected] 2 WINTER 2012 THE REAL AUSTRALIAN 3 Partnership in Proclamation As the Society partners with its supporters mums group at Bowning with music for the to reach ‘Australia for Christ’, the gospel is toddlers and coffee and chat for the mums. able to go out throughout the nation, being I got the Shine programme up and proclaimed in a range of different ways running with year 8 girls at Yass High in different locations and by different School. This is a personal development people. One of the ways it is proclaimed is programme for girls and runs for nine through the school ministries. weeks. We had two very successful terms Helena Painting has been ministering to in 2011. The high school is very happy with schools in the Yass the programme and and Gunning area the outcomes and since March 2010. has requested it to She has provided an continue in 2012 – VGen Advocacy stall in main street, Yass update on her role so we are off and but the rewards outweigh that – we have and a few of the running again. There a steady number of 25-30 attending and schools she works is a programme for many of these are non-churched families. in… boys called Strength, There are also valuable flow-on effects “The role is quite which is similar to from building relationships with primary complex in the way Shine, and it looks school kids who will see you again in high it is outworked. like that will start in school and from working in the small It involves a Term Two this year. Group of Shine participants on final communities in the primary schools to link combination I also continued celebration day. with community members. of working in a with the weekly This is a complex and hard role, but chaplaincy role in Bowning and Dalton Chips, Chill and Chat lunchtime session it is one made easier by the support, Primary schools and the Yass High School, at the high school. This gathering love, prayers and finance of my friends connecting with community members, looked for purpose, so we formed a and supporters. May the Lord bless you teaching SRE in Berinba, Yass Primary and VGen group (Vision Generation, a World abundantly as you support this ministry. • the high school and running the youth Vision initiative). This gave the group a Helena Painting group which is fed into by much of the humanitarian/advocacy reason for meeting The Society has been granted funding connection with the high school kids. and we discussed and focussed on different for 2012-2014 for school chaplaincy in In 2011 I worked with Year 5/6 students issues. We also had an advocacy awareness Gilgandra and Gulargambone from the at Bowning Public School to create a local day at the high school with street theatre, Commonwealth Government under the history booklet of Bowning. This project information leaflets and Destiny Rescue National School Chaplaincy and Student enabled me to firstly; engage with the Jewellery for sale. Above: High School SRE with God’s Squad Welfare Program. Please pray for Alfrene Below: Shine girls working on their collage students and assist the teaching staff and The flow-on effect from building Wright at Gulargambone and for the right secondly; engage with community members relationships with the high school kids person to take up this ministry opportunity in compiling the booklet. into the youth group has been extremely at Gilgandra. This year, I am starting a toddlers and successful. The youth group is hard work, 4 WINTER 2012 THE REAL AUSTRALIAN 5 Serving up the gospel in Wickham BBQ Church has been going for 18 months Anyway, back to the chaos. The kids love now (since October 2010). If you like BBQ Church. Yes, they run wild, but we church neat and tidy, well-structured have determined not to respond with the and seamless, BBQ Church is not for you. harsh words they are used to. While this However, it has been a ‘god-send’ for means they often do run wild, there has many in this community, and a context in been a growing respect, and as they have which I have seen God’s mighty power at been included in helping to serve the food, work - through the message of His saving some of them have changed significantly. love revealed in Jesus, and delivered Quite a few of the kids either do not attend by His people when they serve and love school, or are repeatedly suspended for undaunted by the chaos. aggressive and violent behaviour, so they I actually think it is desperately need an Even a group of local kids put down their slingshots to join in BBQ Church me who has struggled environment that it to the local kids. At a recent BBQ Church, Postscript (2nd April 2012) the most with the is able to embrace I ‘happened’ to see a group of kids about to – I have just heard today, that the oldest chaos, and for that I them and not reject fire their gings (slingshots) into the crowd aboriginal elder in the area, Ned Cheedy, am also thankful, as them. The challenge and walked up to them. I told them their has died. At the age of 107, his father was it has not stopped is to provide this timing was perfect; the food was ready, born only fifteen years after European people from coming in an environment and to come over for a feed. They came settlement. His dad would have heard back again and again. that is also safe for and ended up staying for the whole service.